Just as the world does not belong to one specific culture, Canterbury did not belong to one specific class of people. Chaucer used a theme of unity in diversity in the form of various points of view to create a depth of intuition of social classes that was unknown during that time period. Irony was used to make societies stereotypes of varying classes seem hyperbolic. By transcribing the Canterbury Tales using a diction that could adhere to most people, he encouraged understanding and connections of different people. Through his use of multiple points of view, irony, and simple diction, Chaucer was able to place societal stereotypes out in the open for them to be challenged or honored.
Due to their social status, kings were seen as autocratic and selfish to those of lower classes. In a time period where social class can be envying, many rumors about who a king truly was were spread. In the Canterbury Tales, the Knight has the highest stature of the group. Most would think he is a complete, pompous ass but in truth, he is genuinely nice and his intentions are kind. Assumptions about how someone acts due to their social stature can often be wrong because they are based of a particular bad example that sticks through rumors and becomes a stereotype.
"She's just like you and me, but she's homeless." in this time period, many people were in the same situation financially, they just had different jobs. The Friar is supposed to be a pious man, but he can hardly live off what is provided for him. This ironically causes him to make choices that harm other people. For example, he extorted money from a helpless woman. In this tale, Chaucer showed the true character of friars, despite what their reputations deem them to be.
Had the Canterbury Tales been told in a sophisticated language that mostly was prevalent in the elite and literate, the stories would have never gotten far because most of the population wouldn't have understood the writing. Chaucer was able to use his situation to allow people from all walks of life to enjoy and comprehend the tales. He did this by using a simple diction that has now been referred to as "Modern English". In turn, the appeal of the tales to everyday people allowed their to be a break in the stereotype of stories being strictly for the elite only.
Chaucer's masterpiece brought together people of all statuses in one book. Chaucer created a world that broke free of most stereotypes like the Knight, but also stayed true to some like the Friar. But this masterpiece would not have been a masterpiece had it not been for the diction that appealed to everypne. Chaucer's use of irony, diction, and multiple view points has allowed the Canterbury Tales to challenge and at the same time honor stereotypes that would have never been recognized in that time period.
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